Tennis racket



y 1927' F. s. WILLIAMSON TENNIS RAGKET Filed May l4, 1926 lnueni'or:

filth k Shaver Ml Zianwon,

PATENT OFFMZE.

FRANK Ei-HilrVER TW'ILLIAMSDN, F CHICOPEE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO A.G.

ETEALIJIIJG d7 1333203., OF NEW YORK, N.

TENNIS Application filed May 14,

lily said invention aims to provide a reinforcing finish for tennisrackets at points where overlay pieces are thinned down to a featheredge to eti'ect a smooth terminal joint with the main frame parts. Inthe ordinary practice these over ay strips are glued to the frame parts,and thinned down at their extremities by hand scraping to pro- (lure aterminal feat-her edge. These feather edges are liable to separate fromthe surface to which they are glued and thus expose their sharp edgeswhich readily split.

.l.he invention comprises a sleeve of plastic material applied to thejoint for protecting such feather edges and forming an attractive finishand a method of applying the same as defined by the appended claim.

.ln the accompanying drawings Figure l. is. a plan view of a racketframe as it appears before my improved sleeves are applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a similar view withthe sleeves in place.

.lleferring by reference characters to this drawing the numeral 1designates the bow having the usual extensions 1 which are incorporatedin the handle 2 in the usual manner. 3 designates the usual throatpiece. The handle extensions are faced with strips or layers of wood aglued thereto which at the bow and are tapered down to feather edgesindic: led at t. 5 designates the enclosing sleeve which completelyencircles the handle for a suitable distance on each side of thesefeather edges. In applying this sleeve it take a sheet of celluloid ofsuitable size and soften it by the use of a suit-- able material such asamyl acetate, the surfaces being wet with the solvent in order to insureadhesion, and while it is in a softened condition, .l wrap it around thejoint and allow it to dry. in so doing it shrinks and lirinly bound tothe wood, not only by reason of its shrinking but by its adhesivenature, the shrinking causing the sleeve to accoinniodate.itself to anyirregularitles 1n the shape of the joint parts. i

in the same manner sleeves indicated at 6 may be applied to the bow oneach side of the throat to cover the feather edges 6 of the crescentshaped throat reinforcement 7 which is glued to the inside of the bowand Y., A CORPORATION GTE NEW JERSEY.

RACKET.

1926. Serial No. 109.135.

shaped down in the same manner as are the handle strips d.

Protecting strips such as above described not only fit accurately andretain their positron permanently, but they are sufficiently flexibleafter hardening to accommodate themselves to any'spring of the framewhen the racket is in use. Furthermore the celluloid may be given anydesired color or ornamentation, and when the lacquer is applied to theframe the celluloid, being of a similar nature. will unite homogeneouslywith the lacquer.

This method of finishing also permits a material reduction in the costof manufacture. In the operation as heretofore practiced the workingdown of the enlarged handle to the smaller bow diameter is accomplishedby hand scraping which is a hard and tedious job, requiring extensivetraining andpractice by the operators. The appearance of the racket atthe featheredgepoints is an important detail and so far as applicant isaware no successful substitute for the hand scraping has heretofore beenprovided.

Under the present invention the reduction or sizing down may beaccomplished by a suit-able cutting or sanding machine and any roughnessleft thereby is not material as it is covered up by the celluloid orfibreloid, and as this may be easily applied by unskilled workers, suchas girls for example a material reduction in cost is secured.

till

It will be noted from the drawing that I the sheet of material is ofsuch form that.

the lines of juncture between the parts thereof, where they overlap orjoin, run in various directions and at an angle to each other, insteadof spirally.

'lh-e sheet is wrapped in place like a band age and is manipulated tolie upon the surface to which it is applied, and upon shrinkage a closesmooth fit is secured, the resultant sleeve being homogeneous, for whilethe lines of juncture are visible the portions of the sheetwhich cometogether at these lines are joined together into one body by reason ofthe plastic and adherent character of the material.

The softened plastic sheet of celluloid of suitable size and shape iswrapped upon the joint with its edges overlapping to various degreesalong lines running in various directions at an angle to each other, andupon hardening forms a homogeneous sleeve. 5 1 claim:

A tennis racket having a joint covered with plastic material in sheetform Wrapped.

thereon with edges overlapping to various degrees along lines running invarious d1- rections at an angle to each other, and formxng ahomogeneous sleeve.

In testimony whereof, 1.8.1112: my signature.

FRANK SHAVER WILLIAMSON.

